


Too Tired to Sleep

by hannigramcracker



Series: Sharing [1]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, Vomiting, puke without plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-24 02:41:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18160415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannigramcracker/pseuds/hannigramcracker
Summary: Our boys are away on a trip, and Rhett wakes up feeling ill in their hotel room. Link does his best to save the day.





	Too Tired to Sleep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mythicalstrawberry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mythicalstrawberry/gifts).



> Sooooo me and MythicalStrawberry discussed this scenario on twitter the other day...and then I looked through our messages and extrapolated.

They’d dropped into bed shortly after getting into the room. It had been a long day, and they were exhausted. 

 

Rhett kicked his shoes off and tried to throw his jacket on the desk chair. The chair swivelled, and Rhett’s coat hit the floor. Rhett didn’t stop to pick it up, instead choosing to strip himself of his jeans as he walked. In just his tshirt and boxers, Rhett somehow slid beneath the crinkly hotel sheets and buried his face into the pillows, grabbing a second one and flopping it over the back of his head. 

 

Link sighed slightly as he straightened up from untying his own shoes. He placed them next to the door, toes to the wall, and moved Rhett’s shoes closer to each other. He also picked up Rhett’s jacket and folded it over his arm with his own. He put them on the desk and turned the light near the door off. 

 

Using his phone as a flashlight, Link crossed the room to the other bed. He was too tired to be annoyed with Rhett, who was a silent and still lump on his bed. Link wasn’t shocked he was already asleep, and he hoped he wasn’t far behind him on that front. The only reason he’d even bothered to pick up Rhett’s things was so the thought of them on the floor wouldn’t keep him awake. 

 

Link took his glasses off and slid into the stiff and cool sheets. He sighed when his head hit the pillow, and he barely even had time to wish that he and Rhett were awake enough to enjoy sharing a bed for a bit before he was asleep himself. 

 

\--

 

Link grumbled as he woke up, much too early for his liking. He could tell it wasn’t light out yet, even with his eyes tightly closed. He rolled over, huffing a bit and yanking his blankets back up. It rubbed uncomfortably at Link’s sideburn and he pulled it back down. He tried to lay still, to get back to sleep, tried to stay silent for a moment. 

 

That was when he heard it. 

 

A breathy moan from across the room. He heard more blankets rustling and Link felt bad that maybe he had woken Rhett up. He wasn’t going to fall back asleep at this point, maybe it would help if he got up to pee, so he sat up and popped his head from the blankets. 

 

“Sorry, brother. Didn’t mean to wake ya.”

 

But Rhett didn’t answer. Instead he turned over in the bed again. Or, he tried to. It seemed like he was caught in the blankets, and Link swore he could hear the other man’s breathing. It was harsh and ragged. Was he crying? What was going on? 

 

Link’s mind was still in a half-asleep haze, but it was starting to clear. He snatched his glasses back up and swung out of the bed, landing lightly on his feet. He turned one of the bedside lamps on, and saw how red Rhett’s cheeks were, how fitfully tight his eyes were clenched, how matted his hair was with sweat. Link’s heart caught in his throat as he crept across the floor. As he got closer, he could hear a steady string of breathy moans coming from Rhett. He knew he had to do something, he had to help Rhett somehow. 

 

Deciding to try to clear his head further, Link snuck to the bathroom and shut the door. He pulled down a few washcloths and ran one under the tap in the sink. He brought that and a glass of water back out into the room and sat down gingerly before gently moving the hair off of Rhett’s forehead. He placed the cool damp cloth on his forehead, distractedly cupping the apple of one of Rhett’s flushed cheeks, not liking at all how warm it felt. 

 

Rhett was startled awake by all the attention, eyes shooting open and breath quickening even more. Link felt terrible as Rhett looked around with a scared, hollow expression. Rhett reaches out to grasp a hand around Link’s wrist, panting shakily, and Link knew he’d woken him up from some kind of fever dream. 

 

“Hey.” Link crooned, trying to calm Rhett down with his voice as well as he could. “You’re okay, bo. I’m here to help.” 

 

Rhett lunges at Link with a kind of strength that Link didn’t think he had in him. Link pulled him in closer, opening his arms and pressing one against Rhett’s back. He rubbed up and down, soothing circles, until Rhett had calmed down a little. Link reached over for the glass of water on the table and helped Rhett take a few sips. 

 

“You’re burnin’ up, bo.” Link whispered, only realizing how shockingly warm Rhett’s face was when he sat up from against him. He reached out and pressed his wrist against Rhett’s forehead and clicked his tongue. “Did you not feel well before we went to bed?” 

 

Link took the cup from Rhett, who nodded sadly. He fell back against Link’s shoulder, words muffled by it. “Thought I could sleep it off.” 

 

“Looks like you were wrong.” Link said, again rubbing his hand up Rhett’s spine. Link spread his other hand on the bed behind him to help support the weight of both of them. The sheets felt warm and slightly damp, like Rhett had sweat through his shirt and onto them in all of his tossing and turning. “Come on to my bed. The sheets are dry.” 

 

Rhett whined against Link’s shoulder, not wanting to move. The sheets were wet with his sweat and trying to get back to sleep on them would be uncomfortable. But still, he tried to protest. “Don’t wanna give you whatever this is.” 

  
Link shook his head at Rhett, trying not to laugh at how absolutely absurd he was sometimes. “If you have it, I’m already getting it. Now come over here and tell me what doesn’t feel good.” 

 

It took Link a moment to get Rhett up onto his trembling legs and walk him the shaky three steps to the other bed, but they got there eventually. Rhett sat down heavily, bracing his hands against his knees. Link wanted to get him bundled back into bed as quickly as he could, but he knew he should try to get some medicine in him before things got worse. 

 

“Okay, buddyroll. Just hang here for a second and I’ll be right back. Do you think you might throw up?” Link asked, still working to keep his voice quiet and calm. He didn’t get an answer from Rhett right away, was just met with a tight lipped and blank look. Link nodded and slipped back into the bathroom to get the trashcan just in case. 

 

He dropped it on the floor next to Rhett before rooting through the top part of his suitcase, where he packed all his meds. He grabbed a few tylenol and was back beside Rhett with them and the glass of water in hand. He handed the small pills to Rhett and spoke before Rhett could shake his head at him,  _ again.  _

 

“Take this and drink some water, okay? We need to make sure you stay hydrated. And those meds will help stop your fever.” Link said before kissing Rhett on his alarmingly warm forehead again. 

 

Link watched as Rhett diligently took a few sips before taking the glass from Rhett’s shaking hands when he was satisfied. He helped Rhett lay back, pillowed against the extra pillows Link had snagged from the dry side of Rhett’s bed. Once Rhett was as comfortable as Link could get him, Rhett wasted no time curling around his stomach. The normally huge man seemed small and helpless, dwarfed under the hotel linens as he folded up into a ball. He moaned, a high, thready thing, and Link tutted again. 

 

“Look at me, baby. Tell me what’s going on.” 

 

“ _ Hurts. _ ” Rhett gasped, and for a sharp and shiny moment, Link has a horrible idea in his mind of Rhett feeling so unwell they have to find a hospital, of having to trundle him down the stairs and into a cab by himself. Link took a deep breath to bring the edge of his anxiety back in looked down at Rhett with concern burning in his eyes. 

 

“What hurts, bo?” 

 

“Head. ‘nd my fuckin’ stomach is….bad.” 

 

Link felt the pause in Rhett’s words say more than even his admission had. He knew Rhett must be feeling awful, it was obvious in the way that he was letting Link care for him like this. Link wanted nothing more for them to get some sleep and get Rhett feeling better by the morning. 

 

“Don’t worry, brother.” Link whispered as he, too slid into the bed and under the blankets. “I’m right here.” 

 

Rhett rolled into Link’s side the moment Link stopped moving. He curled up against Link’s side and clung, one arm wrapping over his stomach protectively. He settled in with a groan and Link reached down to run his fingers through Rhett’s hair. He knew how quickly that put the other man to sleep when he wasn’t feeling his best. “I’m so sorry you don’t feel well. There’s a trash can right here if you think you’re gonna throw up. I can help you, just let me know.”

 

Rhett nodded minisculely against Link’s shoulder. Link could feel that his shirt was a bit damp with sweat, too. He should have had Rhett change before they settled in. There was no way he was getting Rhett back up again now. Instead, Link reached a hand under Rhett’s shirt to rub his hand against Rhett’s warm skin, hoping his actions continued to soothe him. 

 

“Let’s see if we can get some sleep.” Link said, but no one other than the walls heard him. Rhett was already taking even sleeping breaths, air puffing against Link’s shoulder every now and again. Link could only hope that it would last as his eyes fell closed as well. 

 

And it did last, for a while at least. 

 

But then, Link was woken up by the sounds of Rhett choking next to him. Rhett looked like he had tried to throw the covers off of him, but his legs were still all intertwined and entangled. He sat on the edge of the bed, swaying dizzyingly, and leaning over the trash can Link had placed by his side. Thank god he had. “Oh, Rhett.” 

 

Link’s hands found Rhett’s back, and Rhett looked at him with glassed over eyes, frantic and confused. He was breathing hard and heavy, a distinct crease showing up between his brows. He watched Rhett’s throat work as he swallowed back saliva once, twice. 

 

“Have you been sick yet?” Link asked, bringing one hand to rub at the knots he knew were going to be present in Rhett’s neck. 

 

“No. Sleep.” 

 

Link smiled affectionately. “I know you wanna sleep, but let’s get this outta the way first, yeah?” 

 

“No,  _ you  _ need sleep.” Rhett’s words were slurred and he was still looking at Link intently. 

 

“No, you don’t worry about me right now, sunshine. Let’s get you back up to snuff first.” Link was about to ask Rhett if he thought he could handle a walk to the bathroom when Rhett heaved forward again. 

 

Link sprung forward and grabbed the trash can from the floor as Rhett pitched forward, bending almost entirely in half and whining deep in his throat. Link held the trash can out in front of Rhett just in time for a real gag to come forth. Rhett reached out to try to steady himself against Link as vomit arced from his lips. Vomit came from Rhett in waves, the first few splattering into the bottom of the trash can with a hollow kind of splash that had Link turning his head and trying to keep his own gorge down. 

 

He tried to focus on Rhett, as he struggled to breathe while the first bout of nausea receded. Rhett whimpered, a pathetic small sound, before clenching his eyes shut. 

 

“Oh, baby. Don’t worry, I’m right here.” Link spoke softly and grabbed the washcloth from the bedside table. He gently wiped Rhett’s mouth with it, trying to clean the little bits of sick that had caught in his mustache and beard. Rhett looked up, glassy eyes now filled with tears that leaked down the slope of his nose. 

 

“I’m so sorry -” was all Rhett could get out before he was gagging again. 

 

Link wasn’t sure if was the sight of vomit in the can before him, or the bright and high smell of it in the air that had set off Rhett’s nausea again, but he couldn’t blame him for either. 

 

The gags were harsher this time, had Rhett’s shoulders convulsing up to his ears. It sounded painful and wracking but he was barely bringing anything up. The dry heaving did not stop though, and every now and again Rhett would produce a splash of yellow-cream colored bile. Link found himself trying to remember if he had seen Rhett eat dinner last night...or lunch for that matter. He tried not to get lost in the swell of guilt at not noticing how off Rhett had been and busied himself in wiping sweat from Rhett’s forehead, speaking low in his ear. “That’s right, bo. Get it all out. You’re doing great. I’m right here. You’re okay.” 

 

Link felt a little silly coaching Rhett through vomiting, as though he wasn’t a grown man who had surely vomited by himself at least a handful of times. Rhett seemed to be taking to it, though. He was relaxing into Link’s touches, leaning against his shoulder while he panted heavily again. A heavy but empty burp travelled up Rhett’s throat and Rhett rubbed his sternum in its wake. He only dry heaved once more before he felt ready to put the trash can down. Then he all but collapsed into Link. 

 

Link rubbed his shoulders for a bit longer before patting him gently on the back. “I gotta get this and you cleaned up. Let’s get this shirt off you, it’s messy.” 

 

Rhett nodded, head lolling down slightly to look at the flecks of vomit seeping into the fabric near the sweat stains. Link helped prop him up against a few pillows before grabbing the trash can and the empty glass of water. Link disappeared into the bathroom and turned the tub on, rinsing the trash can out with the spray from the shower head, doing his best to not gag again as he tried to wash all the bits of vomit down the drain. 

 

He straightened up and took a deep breath. Usually things like this didn’t bother him too much. He refilled the glass of water and grabbed an empty cup and the cleaned out trash can and returned to Rhett. He handed Rhett the two cups and instructed him to rinse. He heard Rhett swishing and spitting water out of his mouth while he grabbed another soft t shirt from Rhett’s suitcase. Rhett took a few small and tentative sips before he held them out to Link. He took the cups from Rhett and motioned for him to lift his arms. 

 

Link took Rhett’s shirt off as carefully as he could, trying not to get any leftover vomit on Rhett’s now clean face. Maybe he should have done this in the other order, but it was too late now. Thankfully, the shirt came off without incident and Link helped Rhett put his new shirt on. He ran back into the bathroom and threw Rhett’s soiled shirt in the tub with a wet slap before hurrying back to Rhett in bed. 

 

“You’ve been feeling like this all day, haven’t you?” Link asked, and Rhett mumbled something into Link’s arm as he snuggled closer once they were both laying down. “I’m so sorry, bo. I’m gonna change our flight before we go to sleep. There’s no way we’re going anywhere in the morning.” 

 

Link wrapped his arms around Rhett and kissed him on the forehead, feeling the heat rising off of him. Rhett closed his eyes, and Link thought he might have been falling back to sleep. But then Rhett’s chest is heaving in a different way. Link watched Rhett clench his eyes shut tighter and swore he saw a few tears squeeze out to glimmer in the darkness. 

 

“Oh, bo.” Link whispers next to him, holding him tightly. “I know you don’t feel good.” 

 

Rhett shook his head. “I feel bad.” 

 

“I know, baby. I know.” 

 

“No. You didn’ have to change our flight and e’rythin’.”

 

Link smiled softly at Rhett’s slurred words, despite his tears. He knew they were just fever tears -  brought from stress and confusion and just sheer discomfort. “Frankly, I didn’t want to have to deal with you like this at 100,000 feet. 

 

It took a moment, but Rhett cracked a small smile and Link knew he was going to be okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on twitter @spockingout, I talk about cool things and sometimes complain about my life. hit me up, we can talk about vomit.


End file.
